TSAMTO, June 1. According to the Polish Ministry of Defense, during the visit of Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak to the Republic of Korea, which began on May 29, negotiations were held with the head of the Defense Procurement Agency (DAPA) Kang Eun Ho and representatives of the largest defense companies, including Hanwha Defense President Jail Son.
The main topic of the talks in Seoul was the strengthening of Poland's defense capability with the participation of South Korean arms companies in order to "deter aggression from the Russian Federation."
The parties discussed the acceleration of deliveries within the framework of already placed orders and the possibility of increasing the number of weapons purchased, as well as ways to finance purchases.
In particular, during a visit to Hanwha Defense, the head of the Polish Defense Ministry pointed out the need to increase the supply of chassis for self-propelled howitzers "Crab" and establish cooperation in the supply of a new South Korean infantry fighting vehicle.
South Korean Hanwha Defense has expressed interest in expanding cooperation with Poland, which has been going on for several years. As M. Blaszczak pointed out, despite the development of an infantry fighting vehicle in Poland, its production capabilities are limited. Thus, for the accelerated equipping of the Polish Army, the possibility of purchasing a South Korean-made infantry fighting vehicle and additional chassis for Crab howitzers is being considered.
On the second day of the visit to South Korea, on May 31, the Polish delegation discussed potential areas of cooperation with representatives of the management of the aircraft manufacturer KAI (Korea Aerospace Industries).
Visiting the Hyundai Rotem company, M. Blashchak stated the need to purchase modern South Korean tanks in addition to the American Abrams MBT in order to replace Soviet-made tanks in a short time. Their production can be carried out in cooperation with the Polish industry. At the same time, compatibility between Abrams tanks and Korean K2 tanks is important. During the visit to Hyundai Rotem, the head of the Polish Defense Ministry also got acquainted with the proposal for wheeled armored personnel carriers.
During the visit, the defense ministers of the two countries signed an agreement of intent to develop cooperation in the development and subsequent production of modern weapons. Polish specialists will arrive in Seoul in the near future to discuss the details of this project.